Arkansas County ended April on a positive note financially. Mary Kay Sheppard of the Arkansas County Treasurer’s Office said, overall, the county ended April with about $2.4 million in total funds, up from $2.3 million one year ago.

Sheppard said it’s a “difference of a little over $107,000.” The trend continued with the general fund, which closed with $423,165.

Sheppard said it was an increase from about $283,000 the previous year.

The news started off the Arkansas County Quorum Court's business Tuesday morning. County officials, minus Justices of the Peace Kirk Meins and Viola Meekins, unanimously approved to amend the northern district's district court budget to include the salary of a court security officer.

The $3,600 salary will be evenly split between the county and the City of Stuttgart with $900 taken out of both the sheriff’s communications fund and the general fund to make up the county’s $1,800 portion.

Sheriff Allen Cheek said money coming from the communications fund would be provided on a year-to-year basis to make sure the system is working properly and for as long as the money is available.

The county approved a similar request on May 11, 2012, from the southern district's district court following an assessment of how safe the courtroom was. The $3,600 salary was evenly split with the City of DeWitt.

Arkansas County Judge Glenn “Sonny” Cox said he has also made it a requirement of the courts to provide the caseload and the days the officers worked each month. The data was expected to give the county a better look at the courts' workload and a better insight of how often the officers were working.

In addition, the justices of the peace amended the budget to include a $3,753 insurance reimbursement check after a three-vehicle accident involving OEM Coordinator Shanda Harris. Cox said Harris was not at fault. They also voted, with one abstaining, to reappoint Duane Long and appoint Trey Daniel to the county's equalization board.

At the county jail, Cheek said the inmate population has declined — reaching its lowest point in a long time. It has 50 adults with four females, 35 males and 11 309 inmates. There are five male juvenile inmates.

Cheek attributed the decline to those charged with misdemeanors in the northern district not receiving jail time as they would in the past. “It's better on our budget, but when it comes to our community I'm not sure,” he added. “There has not been enough time to analyze the effect on the community.”

The county adult detention facility is also receiving an update. Cheek said there are conditions that could be improved or “toughened up” including watching the conditions of the cell locks and doors.

Deputy Prosecutor Elizabeth Skinner said an inmate has already been charged with a misdemeanor after being caught damaging a cell door.

Page 2 of 2 - The update is not restricted to the jail. Cheek said his deputies have accompanied him to a two-day active shooter training with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and Navy Seals. It was “well worth it.”

Cheek said he was appreciative of Jefferson County for sponsoring the training that would definitely help save the lives of his deputies and area residents if a similar event did occur.

“It was probably the most intense training I have ever went through in 32 years,” Cheek said, adding that the training was ran on a worst-case scenario. “It's a class, I'll never forget.”

Cheek said he left with additional information to take to the schools for school safety and on equipment the department should invest in, although it is already adequately equipped.

In other business, Cox announced that May was Arkansas County Recycling Month and National Preservation Month.

County officials also received the unemployment rate from the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District. Arkansas County has 825 people unemployed out of a 10,550 civilian labor force.

The unemployment rate was 7 percent in November 2012, 7.5 percent in December 2012, 8.4 percent in January and 7.7 percent in February.